The Maltese Falcon was no mere legend—this fabulously jewelled golden bird really existed. Still exists, according to the last words of a dying man. Ayesha Ryder is on its trail, but not just to find the Falcon itself. It is said to contain a clue to the lost burial place of King Harold of England, a potent symbol for ruthless politicians determined to break up the UK and create a new, independent English Kingdom. The Falcon may also contain a second clue, one that few would believe.

Labelled an assassin, hunted by Scotland Yard and Dame Imogen Worsely of MI5—as well as those who want the Falcon and its secrets for themselves—Ayesha joins forces with Joram Tate, the mysterious librarian known to her friend Lady Madrigal, a one-time lover of Lawrence of Arabia. As Ayesha’s attraction to Tate grows, they follow clues left by long-dead knights to the tomb of a Saxon king and to the ruined Battle Abbey. When the trail leads them to a stunning secret hidden for a thousand years beneath an English castle, Ayesha must battle modern killers with medieval weapons before confronting the evil that would destroy her nation. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)

Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review courtesy of TLC Book Tours.

Review:

The more I read about Ayesha Ryder, the more I like her spunk and how Pengelley mixes action with history. The books are very much in the vein of the movie “National Treasure” or books by Dan Brown with a Middle Eastern twist. This book alone had me googling many historical events to figure out what out there could possibly be true…

In this installment, Ayesha is racing the clock as the fate of the United Kingdom, or England?, is at risk. I love Joram’s balance to Ayesha and I hope to see more of him in future books. I think he is a great potential partner with mysteries of his own. And, as before, there were fantastic twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end of the story. This one I saw coming, but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable.

Warning: Contains violence and some sexual references

Rating: 5 stars!

Who should read it? Mystery and thriller fans – you don’t necessarily have to start at the beginning of the series!